1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and process for preventing the penetration and/or adhesion of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or mineral oil-hydrocarbons into or respectively on objects such as for example soil, sand or man-made objects.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,509 solves the problem of removing an oil layer floating on the sea surface by providing for agglomeration of the oil. Thus the oil is transformed into a form wherein it can be removed mechanically. To do this metabolites are placed onto the oil layer floating on the surface of the sea. They reduce the surface tension and the interfacial tension of the oil/aqueous phase system. Such metabolites include amongst others microbially produced glycolipids comprising as hydrophilic component mono-, di- and oligo-saccharides. Such glycolipids essentially induce an agglomeration of the oil floating on the surface of the water.
Furthermore, German Disclosure Document DE-OS No. 28 43 685 teaches a process and apparatus for separating oils or mineral oil-hydrocarbons from solid or solid-liquid materials by mixing these oil containing mixtures with an aqueous solution or dispersion of microbially produced glycolipids to form a slurry and then separating the supernatent oil phase from the aqueous phase.
Thus, both of the above recited processes serve to remove oil from already contaminated water, soil or sand.